Merlin's Legacy
by MinyaPunchers
Summary: *SEQUEL TO BLOOD OF MERLIN* Emma Pendragon is one of the few brave souls returning to Hogwarts while Harry and her friends hunt for Horcruxes. She will be faced with the perils of the school being run by the new Headmaster, Severus Snape and few Death Eaters while reinstating Dumbledore's Army and keeping a growing secret safely hidden. See what else happened before the 'Epilogue'.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello my lovely readers! I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Sorry for taking so long to post the sequel for the story. I've been suffering some serious writer's block the past couple months and I have been working on other projects. Anyways, I hope my previous readers from the first half are still out there patiently waiting and I hope ya'll enjoy the sequel. Also to those that are just stumbling onto this story, please take a moment to read the first half titled _**'Blood of**__** Merlin'**_.Ok, here we go!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything in the Harry Potter universe, just the sequel/OC I came up with.

**Chapter 1**

Nothing was the same. Colors were dull. Skies were growing dark. Fear laced the air as well as Death's stench. Ever since the gruesome murder of the great Albus Dumbledore, hope in all that was good was fading fast. The threat that is Lord Voldemort was growing with each passing day. People were disappearing, either hiding or getting captured. No soul, magic or non magic, was safe.

Dark times were ahead her godfather had said. And the most important thing we had to remember now was to unite as one, and fight together. Oh and that 'love was key'. Emma scoffed to herself. She had been growing increasingly bitter over the past few weeks since Albus' death. She tried her best to hide it in public settings, but she should know better than to hold it in. Emma couldn't risk another 'snap'.

* * *

Breathe. In. Out. Breathe. In. Out. I was alone now in one of the fields several hundred feet from The Burrow. Day in and day out, I have been doing nothing but meditating. I would test my powers, but I was hesitant. The last few days at Hogwarts had been rough. I nearly lost myself on multiple occasions and put others in danger. Anxiety ripped though me constantly; damn, this is only a taste of what Harry must put up with.

Harry. Oh, my Harry. Pieces of him were going away just as quickly as mine were. Actually, all of us were falling apart at the seams. The logically headstrong Hermione Granger, the glue that kept us together was broken at the moment. This morning, she arrived to stay the remainder of the summer (as did I), but something had changed. After getting me alone, she cried and screamed. She had to erase all traces of her life with her parents, fearing that they would end up like 'the others'.

I never saw Hermione cry and it was unnerving; it made me think that if she of all people had come undone, what could that mean for even stronger witches and wizards? Lucky for me, I didn't have to take the crying for long. Ron had taken over, temporarily being the 'glue' we each desperately needed…at least, Hermione's glue.

Breathe. In. Out. Breathe. In. Out. Slowly, I allowed myself to levitate off the ground, and gather the winds. After a few moments, a small cyclone of dirt and other debris circled around me. Kicking it up a notch, I attempted to separate the debris, which required more concentration. Footsteps approached the floating Emma, now only a few feet away, and a gasp from below broke that concentration. And just like when Harry interrupted me weeks before, it was repeated in that instant.

"Ugh!" I groaned. At least this time, I bewitched the ground so my 'landing' wasn't as harsh. But looking up, instead of seeing Harry like before, I was facing a wide eyed, jaw dropped Ginny Weasley. I grimaced before standing while rubbing my backside.

"Whoa, that was so wicked!" Ginny exclaimed. Oh yeah, she was one of the lucky few that hadn't seen any of my parlor tricks.

"I believe you needed something Ginny dear." I said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, right!" Ginny said, snapping out of it. "Mum wants you inside. She said she wants us all to eat dinner and have a quick chat before you leave to get Harry."

"Dinner?" I questioned. She nodded with a confused look. I turned away and noticed that the sun had nearly set.

"Yeah silly! And you better hurry up; mum is a bit peeved that you skipped a meal earlier!" Ginny stated as she skipped away to the house. I sighed and followed behind her, feeling a bit guilty. Mrs. Weasley had been kind enough to take her in, not wanting to be alone in her current state. But it wasn't long till that guilt was pushed down by something else: excitement. It won't be long till I get to see my Harry.

* * *

Now here we are, after a full meal prepared by Molly Weasley, standing in the driveway of Number 4 Privet Drive. Harry's horrid family just departed down the dark street and only Harry remained. His silhouette was highlighted in the living area by a single light while the rest of the house was dark. My heart beat rapidly against my chest having only seen his shadow and my pace quicken up the path to the front door.

"Calm yourself Emma, we are about to go in." Hermione mumbled beside me. I scoffed. She had Ron for almost the whole summer and I am just now seeing him after weeks had past.

"I haven't seen him in close to a month Hermione! And I won't get that much time with him once he starts hunting." I hissed back. Hermione wanted to add more, but Hagrid began knocking on the door. A few moments later, the door swung open. I couldn't see him, but I was able to hear him greet Hagrid and the others happily.

Moody shuffled in before, grunting a hello to Harry while Hermione just pounced quickly. Harry mumbled a hello and few hugs as we each shuffled inside. I was the last to greet him and in a way, it was well worth the wait. It seemed like time stopped for us as our eyes locked.

"Hiya Harry." I breathed. Harry just stood there for a moment then he stepped forward and grabbed hold of me. He hugged me close for a moment before leaning inwards to place a soft kiss on my lips. His stubble scratched my skin which turned me on immensely. Ignoring the large crowd, I wrapped my arms tighter around Harry to deepen the kiss. I heard a cough from behind us and pulled away to see Moody with an annoyed look.

I calmed myself and side stepped Moody with Harry right behind. Bill and Fleur were having their own conversation while the twins smirked at me. Standing beside Hermione, we each quieted down so Moody could speak.

"All right. We'll have time for a catch-up later. But now, we've got to get the hell out of here and soon." Mad-Eye interrupted, even knocking into Lupin as he walked through until he was at the head of the room. "Potter, you're underage, which means you've still got the Trace on you."

"What's the Trace?" Harry asked.

"If you so much as sneeze, the Ministry will know who wipes your nose." Mad-Eye grumbled. "The point is we have to use certain 'transportation' the Trace can't detect: Brooms, Thestrals, etc. We will go in pairs, that way, if anyone's out there waiting for us, and there will be, they won't know which Harry Potter is the real one."

"The real one?" Harry repeated, moving closer to Moody while still holding my hand.

Mad-Eye smiled and pulled out a silvery flask from his leather jacket, holding it up and shaking it a bit so we could all hear the liquid sloshing around inside. "I believe you're familiar with this particular potion."

"No, absolutely not!" Harry exclaimed, making me wince; I was one of the few to agree with the idea in the first place.

"See! I told you guys that he'd take it well! Fred you owe me five Gallons!" George exclaimed. Fred sighed as he produced a few coins from his pocket and I rolled my eyes.

"No," Harry continued. "If you think I'm going to let you all risk your lives for me, I-"

"Never done that before, have we?" Ron muttered sarcastically. Hermione smacked his head making him yelp in response.

"This is different!" Harry exclaimed. "I mean, taking that, becoming me. No." I sighed and stood in front of him.

"Harry, you aren't the only one fighting this battle! We all are here willingly."

"Semi-willingly actually." Fred and George popped in but I ignored them.

"We all know what's at stake here; what we have to gain, what we have to lose. There is so much at risk here…we have a plan, we have to follow through." I said, staring him down, daring him to object.

"But what if something went wrong?" Harry whispered. "I can't bear to lose anybody, you especially; I would never forgive myself."

"Everyone here is of age, Potter. They've all agreed to take the risk," Mad-Eye told him, bringing the attention back to the current matter, cutting me off. I stepped away from Harry and turned to face Moody. "All right then. Go ahead Granger, as discussed," Hermione walked past Harry, taking a thread of Harry's hair with her, making Harry gasp as she did it.

"Straight in here, if you please," Mad-Eye said, holding the flask out so Hermione could drop the hairs in. Immediately, the muddy potion began to bubble and spark before it settled into a gold color.

"You look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry…" Hermione commented, before she caught all of her friends staring at her: a surprised Ron, Fred and George smirking, and my eyebrows rose at her in question.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Hermione huffed. "Their potion looked like bogies," Hermione shuddered.

"Fake Potters, up front please," Mad-Eye ordered, stepping forward with the flask in hand. I, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, and Fleur all stepped up in front of Mad-Eye, ready to take the potion.

"Right." Mad-Eye nodded before stepping up to Fred, the first in the line. "For those of you who haven't taken Polyjuice Potion before, fair warning, it tastes like goblin piss."

"Have a lot of experiences with that do you, Mad-Eye?" Fred asked, but only got a glare in return. He just shrugged. "Just trying to ease the tension."

"Good job ole boy," George said as he patted his shoulder.

One by one, each of us drank from the flask. It was odd thing to watch as the people I grew close to over the last year change in such a way. I was the last to drink from the potion. I locked eyes with Harry as I tipped the flask back and let the Harry bile flow down my throat. The potion didn't sit right in my stomach and it didn't take long for the potion to run its course.

Looking down, my skin bubbled and morphed just like it did with everyone else. My long red hair grew short and brown. My once perfect eyesight went foggy after a few seconds. And after a few more moments, the five of us, all a reflection of Harry, stood in front of the original.

"Wow, we're identical!" The twins said in unison smiling at each other.

"I dunno George; I think I'm still better looking," Fred said while looking the others over. I rolled my eyes again and stared at the real Harry. My Harry. The gaze he returned to me was a faraway one. I gulped before looking away.

"Ok everyone, time to change." Mad-Eye grunted as he spilled a bag of clothes on the ground in front of us. I grabbed the closet shirt and pants that fell, and then proceeded to change. I quickly threw my dress over my and tore my leggings off. I didn't bother wearing a bra since the dress had one sewn in and I knew it would be fewer clothes for me to deal with. Harry noticed this and his eyes widened. I sent him a wink which must've been odd to receive at that moment.

"All right, the pairs will be as follows," Mad-Eye began. "By broom: Arthur and Fred, George and Remus. Then by Thestral, it will be: Fleur and Bill then Granger and Kingsley."

"Which leaves you with me, Ron!" Tonks smiled brightly before letting Moody finish. She hopped down from her spot on the window seat. She stumbled a bit and Remus was able to catch her in time; I smile at this. It was so sweet seeing Remus step up and care so much for his new wife…it gave me hope.

"And Pendragon," Moody shuffled so he was standing in front me. "That leaves you with me." I nodded in response, already aware. Aside from Harry, I was the most logical choice to be paired with the crazy lunatic that was Mad-Eye Moody. But that didn't stop Harry from protesting.

"Wait?! Are you mental?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Harry, before Mad-Eye even had the pairs in order, I volunteered to go with him."

"Why would you do that?!" I held up a hand to stop him.

"Because they would suspect you to go with him! And no offense to the others here, I'm the only one who has a chance against the swarm apart from you." I said truthfully. Before Harry could protest anymore, Hagrid stepped in.

"Yer with me, Harry an' they'll be non der wiser," Hagrid smiled. "I brought you here sixteen years ago when yer were no bigger than a Bowtruckle; it seemed only right that I be the one ter take you away now." Harry seemed to calm a bit at the half-giant's words and hugged him quickly.

"Yes, it's all very touching," Mad-Eye grumbled. "But we are on a schedule! Let's go, NOW!"

Immediately, we all moved out of the house and out into the street. I grabbed my silver and black Firebolt then mounted quickly. I got into line with the others and waited patiently for Moody to shuffle out after the others.

"Head for the Burrows, we'll rendezvous there!" Mad-Eye shouted at the crowd. "On the count of three!" Hagrid's bike revved up while both Kingsley and Bill attempted to keep the restless Thestrals calm. "One…two…" I turned towards Harry to give him one last look. I smiled at him and surprisingly, he returned it.

"Three!" Everyone shot off from the ground. Into the night, I sped off into the skies with Mad-Eye keeping up beside me. As soon as they had broken through the clouds, we each were ambushed by loads of Death Eaters; at least a dozen were after each Harry and the ones after me doubled.

"Which one are you?!" A rapsy voice shouted to my right. I quickly shot a spell in his direction, causing him to scream, and fall back. I tried to stay as close to Mad-Eye as possible, shooting spell after spell, without my wand I may add, at oncoming Deatheaters.

It felt like an eternity the longer they flew into the skies. I kept fighting and spellcasting all the while my broom seemed to fly with a mind of its own. If there was any chance that I was going down, I would go down fighting, and I will make sure to bring company. At one point, Voldemort appeared in the midst of the battle, flying towards me and Mad-Eye.

My blood went cold, knowing I was in such close proximity to Voldemort…the man that killed my parents and Harry's. A man that is hell bent on destroying the world. No, he is no longer a man; he is but a monster. The other Deatheaters nearby dispersed and Voldemort trained his wand in my direction. Before I could shield myself, a shot of green light came forward, but at the last second, Mad-Eye was there taking the full blast of it. I didn't even get a chance to scream for him, but he was already falling fast.

"No!" I bellowed in Harry's voice. Voldemort smiled a sickly sweet smile as he raised his wand once more. The air around was supercharged at that moment as it slowly began to pick up. Voldemort's smile faltered and a look of realization came across his features.

"You are not the real Harry! You are a Pendragon!" He screamed, but his voiced was drowned out by the harsh winds I was summoning.

"Damn right," I replied. I could faintly hear him yelling to the others, but that didn't stop me. Lightning shot from all directions as I tried to hit Voldemort, but the coward disappeared in a snap, replaced by his followers. Flashes of green and yellow hit my wind tunnels, causing my concentration to falter.

In a final act to protect myself, I jumped from my broom and let the winds carry me as I plummeted to the ground just like Moody did moments before me, but that didn't stop the Deatheaters from chasing me. My body shifted out without them realizing and my tunnel trapped them, leaving me vulnerable.

'The Burrow. Burrow. Take me to the Burrow!' I chanted to myself. I was a few hundred feet from the ground when I felt a tug at my navel. Various shapes and colors warped my vision as I apparated. The last thing I heard was a swish and I felt my body hit a solid force before I saw black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hell all and Happy New Year/Happy Whatever-Holiday-You-Celebrate! I hope you all are doing well and remaining as patient as ever. It's nice to see that I still have a couple dedicated readers keeping up with my story. This one may be a little slower but it will pick up, I promise! Anyways, I hope ya'll get some enjoyment out of this chapter =)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything in the Harry Potter universe, just the sequel/OC I came up with.

**Chapter 2**

Where was I? What happened? Did I black out? Oh no, I can't breathe! Wake up! Move! Do something! I was fighting with myself and then realized something: I was floating. 'Open your eyes' I said to myself. It took a moment, but they shot open. I looked around and saw only darkness, but not quite. Light I assumed was the moon shone in front of me casting a glow and I was able to figure out that I was underwater. Feeling panicky, I forced myself to shoot upward.

Hitting the top, I gasped the fresh air. It was a weird feeling. I knew I was happy to be breathing but I felt as if I didn't need it as badly. Looking around again, it seemed like I had landed in some sort of lake or pond. It wasn't that deep nor was it a home to any water creatures.

In my weaken state, it took a few extra minutes for me to swim to the edge. I plopped in the grass, fully content with staying in that spot to recover. But realization hit me hard, so hard that I began to cry. Mad-Eye Moody was dead. He sacrificed himself for me. I couldn't protect him. I wanted to scream for the fallen wizard, but it wasn't safe. I didn't even know where I had landed.

I had to move. I needed shelter. Even though my body protested every step I took, I forced myself to walk. I felt around my pants for my wand and upon finding it, I noticed the clothes hung loosely against my waist. The Polyjuice potion had worn off and I was Emma Pendragon again. I sighed and continued my trek.

I walked along a trail in a wooded area for a bit until a field stretched before me and it wasn't until I noticed a few familiar lawn gnomes, I realized that I had landed on the outskirts of the Burrow. I was so ecstatic; I quicken my pace to the home that was currently lit bright. Various shadows and silhouettes danced in the windows and off the property. A sharp pain in my side caused me to stop for a moment and fall to my knees; I was a mere hundred feet away.

"What could've happened to her?!" I heard a voice shout in the distance.

"I'm sure she made it ok mate. She's very strong and very powerful-" Another added but was interrupted by the first voice.

"No Ron! She was with Mad-Eye! And Voldemort was on her after he fell!" The first voice shouted who I realized was Harry's voice. He's alive! He made it. I began to grab pieces of grass just to pull myself along until I felt a stump. I was then able to hoist myself up, causing me to groan a bit.

Both Ron and Harry snapped their heads in my direction. Hermione was present too, but remained quiet during the exchange. Turning towards me and seeing who I was, she rushed for me. Quicker in reflex, Ron grabbed her waist to stop her while Harry moved forward, wand outstretched, and aimed for me.

"Harry! What are you doing?! That's Emma right there!" Hermione pleaded as she tried to wriggle out of Ron's hold.

"How do we know that Hermione?" Harry asked darkly. "For all we know, that could be a Malfoy or Voldemort himself wearing her face! He could have killed my love and taken her place to get to me," Harry stated, moving closer to me until he was a few feet away. Even though I know that I am me, Harry did raise a valid point; that didn't stop me from wanting to break down in front of him.

"Harry," I called, not recognizing the raspy tone in my voice. "It's me, truly." I began to beg. I attempted to conjure something in my power so he would know, but I was too weak and I could feel my blood oozing from my side now.

"Prove it!" He replied. "Use your powers," he stated, holding his wand higher like he was ready to blast me.

"I can't!" I cried. I pulled my hand away from my side to show him the bloody mess. "I am wounded!"

"Harry!" Hermione cried. I sent them a glance and Ron looked like he was ready to give in.

"No! I won't believe it!" Harry yelled. He flinched at the torn clothing and blood leakage. "I can't believe, not yet; I have to know for sure," Harry mumbled. He moved forward again and was now standing my front of me. I yearned to just touch him, but he was stubborn and I had to be true to that first.

"Anything," I breathed. I was feeling dizzy now.

"On your birthday, what was the inscription on the lid of what I gave to you?" As if on impulse, I raised my non-bloodied hand to my neck to feel the snowflake pendant he gave to me months ago. I've never taken it off since that day.

"Snowflakes in nature are fragile and delicate; but each one is unique and one of a kind," I recited. My body swayed a bit and I felt myself falling. Harry moved to grab me and the last thing I remember was his strong hold on my body then soft whispering.

"I'm sorry my love."

* * *

"_Tell me where Harry Potter is!" A voice hissed in the darkness. _

"_Never," I answered defiantly._

"_I will break you girl," the same voice hissed. With a flick of his wand, pain coursed through me, but I won't scream. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me weak. "I will find the boy Pendragon, and I will kill you in front of him, bringing him to his knees."_

"_No! Don't. Touch. Harry!" My voice gurgled in response._

"_Or I can kill you now; I can use that power of yours," the voice hissed once more, torturing me further. Where I was chained up, I heard a switch being pulled, and electricity was shot through my body._

"_No! Harry!" I screamed._

"Emma! I'm here! WAKE UP!" A voice called out. My eyes shot open at the sound. I was on a bed in a dimly lit room. On the horizon, the sun was barely rising in the distance. Hovering above me was a worried Harry, eyes searching. A strong sense of déjà vu took over at that moment.

"Harry, it was Voldemort," I whispered.

"I know love, I know," Harry replied as he pulled into his chest.

"He wanted me to reveal where you ran off to…he was aware of your plan and-"

"Shhhh," Harry cooed. "You had a long night, we all did." He paused. "You lost a lot of blood and you kept drifting. My God Emma, I'm so sorry for not believing you."

"It's ok, I would've done the same," I replied. "He saved me Harry and I did nothing." I stated suddenly, guilt rushing over me, thinking of Mad-Eye's sacrifice.

"There wasn't anything you could do love; he went down fighting, like he always did, and I heard what you did to those Deatheaters. You did Mad-Eye proud," Harry replied, pulling me closer.

"I wish I could believe you but…not yet I guess…" I mumbled. "How long has it been?"

"Not long, a few hours maybe," he replied. "But I suggest you rest up now, we have to be up early." Harry said as he settled in back into the bed.

"Why?" I questioned.

"The minister is coming later today to read Dumbledore's will."

* * *

A few hours later, I awoke to Harry shaking me and whispering my name. My head was pounding and I was feeling extremely groggy. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed that we were currently in Ron's room. After looking around more, once realizing it was only the two of us, I glanced at the nightstand which had a glass of a thick blue-ish potion. Noticing me staring at it, Harry rose from the bed and handed me the glass.

"It's for any pain you may have," Harry replied, throwing a shirt over his naked torso. "Ron and Hermione are already downstairs waiting with the Minister. I didn't want to wake you until absolutely necessary." Harry finished as he turned away towards the door.

"Harry, wait." I called just as he was about to exit. "Are you mad at me?" I asked. Harry was closing himself off to me, I could tell. Harry sighed and turned around, taking a few steps toward me and knelling in front of me.

"No love, I'm only mad at myself. You were hurt and I can only feel guilty about it," Harry replied sadly. I opened my mouth to retort, but only to get interrupted. "I'm a stubborn git Emma, just let it be." Harry said as he kissed my forehead and left the room. I sighed and quickly changed before running downstairs.

Lucky for me, I was able to avoid the mother hen that is Mrs. Weasley. She was currently holed up in the kitchen preparing for Bill and Fleur's wedding. So instead of having a warm, filling, homemade breakfast, I snatched up an apple from the table and began to munch as I entered the living quarters. Hermione and Ron were already situated on one side of the couch while Harry was on the other.

Each of their heads snapped to my direction as I headed over. Hermione leaped up to give me a quick hug before sitting back down. I sat next to Harry on the couch and immediately, he brought an arm to wrap around my waist.

"Ah, Miss Pendragon, always a pleasure," Rufus Scrimgeour greeted with a sneer. I only nodded, not even bothering to send a greeting in return. "Now, let's begin." The minister stated as he pulled out a small bundle from his bag as well as a folded up sheet of paper which unfolded itself and hovered in the air beside him.

"Herein is set forth the last will and testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." He began.

"_First, to Ronald Bilius Weasley_," the minister started again. "_I leave my Deluminator, a device of my own making, in the hope that when things seem most dark, it will show him the light_," he said as he unfolded the bundle partially and pulled out what looked like a lighter.

"Dumbledore left this for me?" Ron asked as he stared down at it in awe earning a nod from the minister. That item in particular was very handy and I don't think Ron truly realizes how valuable the Deluminator is. "Brilliant! What is it?" Part of me wanted to scoff at his question.

Before I could speak, Ron then clicked it, and two of the lights in the room blinked out as the light itself zoomed into the gizmo. The opposite happened when Ron clicked it again, the light zooming back to the lamps. I smiled at Ron and silently applauded him for figuring it out so quickly.

"Wicked." Ron smiled. The minister then cleared his throat, causing us to turn our attention to him.

"_To Hermione Jean Granger_," the minister continued, making Hermione sit up a bit straighter. "_I leave my copy of_ _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ _in the hope that she finds it entertaining and instructive_." The minister pulled out a small, worn copy of a book and handed to her, causing me to frown slightly.

"My mum used to read me those," Ron spoke up. "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, Babbitty Rabbitty, and the Cackling Stump." Ron chuckled, and I did the same, thinking back to when Albus used to read me such stories. Both Harry and Hermione looked at him with confused expressions. I didn't get the chance to respond as the minister began to speak again.

"_To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill_," the minister said, picking up the Snitch through a handkerchief, holding it out to Harry. We each watched as Harry leaned forward and took the Snitch. However, nothing happened making the minister huff in frustration.

"Anyway," he paused before continuing. "And to Emma Vivian Pendragon, my dearest goddaughter, I leave to you my phoenix, Fawkes; may he be your companion and aid as he has been to me for many years." He finished. I looked around expecting him to pop out somewhere.

"And where may he be?" I questioned.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to recover the phoenix in question; phoenixes are such rare and complex creatures, they come and go as they please," he said with a smug expression. "Funny, I figured the old man would leave more for someone he claimed to be his 'dearest goddaughter'."

"Why you rude son of a-" I began, but was only cut off by Hermione's hand covering my mouth. If he wasn't the minister, I would make sure he was buried and never found! Albus loved me and left me plenty! He made sure to wire and make note of his effects as well as the ones belonging to my family years ago! I even have both keys in the damn box he left me at his funeral!

"Is that it, then?" Harry asked, looking just as pissed as I was.

"Not quite," he replied. "Dumbledore left you a second bequest: The sword of Godric Gryffindor. Unfortunately, the sword of Gryffindor was not Dumbledore's to give away. As an important historical artifact it belongs-"

"To Harry!" Hermione interrupted, having already removed her hand from my mouth. "It belongs to Harry; it came to him when he most needed it in the Chamber of Secrets five years ago!"

"The sword presents itself to any worthy Gryffindor, Miss Granger. That does not make it that wizard's property," the minister snapped back. "And, in any event, the current whereabouts of the sword are unknown."

"You _lost_ the sword?" I asked bitterly.

"The sword is _missing."_ The minster rephrased. I rolled my eyes, pondering over the current state of the Ministry with this creepy bastard as its head.

"You 'misplaced' it then?" I asked again. "That's convenient." I mumbled and he sighed, getting up, obviously finished with the reading. He made way for the door, pausing in the doorway to shake hands with the three of us. Once he got to me however, his hand hung in mid-air.

"Despite how you may think of me Miss Pendragon, I think only the highest of you and your late godfather."

"And I'm sure the old man thought a hell of a lot differently about you." I replied as I slammed the door in his face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Emma!" Hermione shouted after I slammed the door in the minister's face. I ignored her as I made my way to the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley, needing a distraction. "Emma, please stop!" I paused in the kitchen doorway before pivoting on my heel. Harry and Ron were still by the sofa, not wanting to interfere.

"What Hermione?" I asked. Hermione squared her shoulders, readying for a battle that is me.

"Rufus Scrimgeour maybe a rude and unsympathetic, but he is still our minister! With how unstable things are, do you really want someone like him as another enemy?" She asked, hands on her hips and her cheeks flushed.

"Just because he is the great and powerful minister doesn't mean I will put up with his arrogance, disrespect to my late godfather, and kiss his arse like he is the bloody queen of England!" I shouted in response. Hermione looked like she wanted to say more but instead of doing so, she huffed before turning and rushing up the stairs. A door slammed above them and I sighed, feeling a bit guilty for snapping.

"I might as well go up too. Maybe I can distract her with my new toy." Ron sighed as he trudged up the stairs. Unlikely but he would be a distraction nonetheless. I really didn't like the idea of apologizing at the moment…maybe I should let her cool off a bit.

Before Harry could escape, I turned towards him. "Am I wrong?"

"Can I plead the fifth?" He asked with a chuckle. I groaned and he walked towards me. "Would you prefer a lie or the truth?" I groaned again. "No, you weren't wrong to state your opinion but Hermione also had a valid point. You really don't want to be on the wrong side of the minister right now, trust me."

"I know." I sighed. "But what he said seriously cheesed me off." Harry chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"I could tell and if it helps, I wanted to hex him as much as you did." He pulled me close for a hug and I took a chance to inhale the scent that is Harry James Potter. "Just give her some space…she'll forgive you." I nodded against his chest.

"I'm going to go help Mrs. Weasley for a bit; maybe I'll get a treat out of the deal." I stated before giving him a quick peck and turning away to head towards the kitchen.

* * *

And so for the next 12 hours, Molly Weasley proved to be an excellent distraction. Since Bill and Fleur decided to move up their wedding, which was two days from now mind you, there was a lot to do...and surprisingly, she requested for me to do without magic. While she did the cooking, I assisted in cleaning up the house even though the ceremony itself was to be held outdoors.

Hermione and Ron eventually came out to join me since the tent needed to be set up and the tables/chairs needed moved inside to be ready for the next day. I don't think she's ever hugged me so hard but at least we agreed that we were both at fault. Once that task was done, we had a break for an early dinner and then went about doing the napkins and party favors.

It was just after midnight when we all were exhausted from the day's activities and thankfully, I had no nightmares…but Harry did. And the scary thing was that it was the dream I had about myself a couple nights ago. I held him as he broke down and confessed my dream.

"Emma, I don't know how long I can keep this up," he whispered.

"Just a little while longer…it'll be over soon." I replied, unsure of myself. Harry snorted in response.

"Over and what will be left then?" He asked bitterly.

"Light. Freedom. Hope." I paused, looking down at him. "My love for you will remain, always." He looked up at me then with a small smile. Harry then moved in to kiss me softly. He pulled away for a moment then leaned in to kiss me harder. I pulled him on top of me as the kiss intensified but it made the friction between us worse.

Harry tore away from my lips and moved down my neck. My pulse was racing and heart pounded as each second ticked by. We were both breathing heavily and I was tempted to shed some clothing.

"Harry…" I breathed. He looked into my eyes, gaze intense. "I don't know how much longer I can take this." I said and he nodded in understanding.

"Me either," Hunger was in his eyes then and I was ready to cave but I knew the timing wasn't right, like it has been lately.

"But I don't want to do this amongst so many people…I want to at least have a room to ourselves." I grumbled, gesturing to Ron and Hermione, who were both snoring away on the other bed. Harry nodded in agreement and reshuffled his body so he was lying beside me once more.

"Soon?" Harry asked. I nodded with a small smile. "Soon…" he repeated more to himself. I giggled and snuggled into him, falling asleep quickly.

* * *

The next day was the wedding and it consisted of seating too many guests in the marquee. It took a few hours to get situated and once each guest was accounted for, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley made their entrance along with the Delacours and took their seats in the very front row. Bill and Charlie then came down the aisle dressed in their best dress robes. Charlie was grinning at the Nervous Nelly that is Bill Weasley. It was interesting seeing someone like Bill who faced a werewolf in such a jittery state.

When Fleur came down the aisle, the Veela blood in her was beyond evident since she seemed to glow in her wedding dress; even her eyes were a bit more vibrant and they were locked with Bill's. I was in awe by how simple yet elegant her dress was. The beautiful white dress had both black and white feathers laced through the skirt and her silvery hair flowing elegantly down her back. Ginny and Gabrielle, the bridesmaids, followed her in their golden dresses.

The ceremony itself was glorious. Bill and Fleur decided to write their own vows which made it even more meaningful romantic. Mrs. Weasely was balling the whole time as was Hermione who had one hand locked with mine and the other in Ron's. It seemed so surreal that something this normal could still happen in the middle of this war.

Getting married seemed like a dream with everything happening. I glanced over at Harry who was engrossed in the ceremony. Maybe we could have a wedding too once all of this was over. Actually, I would be happy to just have Harry. But is there a chance he would want to marry me?

Once the ceremony had ended and the two had kissed romantically, everyone stood and cheered. The chairs vanished and a golden pool spread to form a dance floor under the tent. The chairs then grouped themselves around the white tables that had now appeared off to the side. Music played around them from no place in particular and everybody mingled in the open area.

I moved off the dance floor, not really in the mood for dancing. Instead, I did a bit of people watching. Ron and Hermione were in close proximity just shuffling to the music slowly. Ginny, who was done taking her share of pictures, was locked at the hip with Dean. Luna turned, eyes closed, waving her arms around reminding me of a hippie trying 'feel the music'. I smiled this, happy that she was still being herself.

After about ten minutes, I spotted Harry at a table with an older looking man. The old man seemed to be going on about something and Harry was listening intently. I weaved in and out of the crowd of bodies towards where he was seated. Harry looked up in surprise at my presence.

"Think I can trouble you for a dance Mister?" I asked with a wink. Harry's smile widened and he excused himself before getting up and taking my hand. He pulled me gently onto the dance floor and held me close, swaying to the soft music.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look right now?" Harry asked suddenly, making me blush.

"I'm not sure, a few times maybe," I giggled while trying to hide in the crook of his neck.

"Hey," he shrugged me away, making me look at him. "What did I tell you about hiding?" He asked. His face was serious, but I couldn't help but giggle instead. His expression broke making him smile again. "I love your blush and I love your giggle even more. I'm gonna miss that," he added softly.

It took me a moment to process the last part of what he said and I pulled away quickly. "What do you mean by that Harry?" I demanded. Harry didn't look me in the eyes then and proceeded to bite his lip. "Harry, you better speak up now and quick," I growled.

"I don't think this is the right-" Harry began but stopped once he looked at me, even taking a step away.

"You brought it up," I growled again and crossed my arms. I could feel my arms tingling and knew that I could spark at any moment if I didn't keep control. Harry let his arms flop at his sides and sighed in defeat.

"You knew this was coming love. I have a job to do, you know this."

"Yeah, I knew! But I wasn't going to let you go alone! What the Hell Harry?!" I exclaimed, my voice growing higher in pitch. A few guests looked our way at my raised voice and I glared in return.

"Can we please not get into this right now?!" Harry hissed back. "C'mon, can't we just backtrack and forget I said anything?! Please? I only have so much time with you!" Harry pleaded, stepping forward but I took two steps back.

"Did you give Ron and Hermione this fucking speech too? Hmmm? Are you saying good-bye to them as well?" I asked. He looked away again. Figures, he would take them but not me. Bloody Hell! Where did this go wrong? Things were so pleasant just a moment ago! "Of course not, why would you? You've been with them longer, it makes perfect fucking sense!" I turned on my heel to walk away.

"Emma, wait!" Harry yelled, grabbing my arm. My eyes glowed for a moment and I managed to shove him away without lifting a finger. For the first time, Harry looked afraid of me, afraid of my power.

"Don't. Touch. Me." I said angrily. "Why wouldn't you have me go with you?" I demanded again, feeling hurt. "We made a pact together remember? Or does that mean nothing?" My voice was breaking and I was afraid that tears would be coming next.

Harry just stared, unsure of what to do. He looked defeated and a few times, he opened then closed his mouth resembling a fish. I wanted him to hold me but at the same time, I wanted to smack him a few times. After all we talked about, after all we discussed…he was still as stubborn as ever and even worse, fearful that something would happen to me.

If anything, he should be more concerned about taking Hermione and Ron along. Hermione may be brilliant and Ron may have some wits about him, and I mean no offense when I think these thoughts but they have nothing on me. They have nothing on what I can do. But they've been together for so many years…that is something they did have.

Since Harry made no move to come forward or speak, I took the initiative before caving entirely. With an annoyed huff, I turned again and stormed into the opposite direction away from Harry. This time, he didn't follow. When was he going to learn that he has no valid argument in this? He needs me! We need each other…we need to stick together, now more than ever.

As I stomped away, I didn't notice the company trailing behind me. It took me sitting in chair and them kneeling on either side of me for me to truly notice. They stared at me for a moment then hugged me suddenly, confusing me entirely. I relented and sagged against them, letting out a huge breath.

"Trouble in paradise dearie?" Fred asked first.

"How can you tell?"

"Well…" they said in unison. "We couldn't help but overhear quite a bit." George stated.

"Not that we eavesdropping!" Fred exclaimed.

"Not at all!" George piped in.

"Never," I giggled, feeling my mood lift slightly. Fred and George always managed to cheer me up when I was with them.

"Want us to hex him for you?" They both asked.

"He may be the Chosen One-"

"-but he's easy to beat up!" The twins smiled and I did the same. I didn't get the chance to answer then. Something was strange in the air all of sudden. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing in attention and I felt a chill run up my spine.

"Something is not right," I whispered.

Suddenly, everything grew dark, and I looked up to see that the lanterns had all blown out for some odd reason. Then, a loud whoosing sound of some sort pierced the air. From the side, a wild cat patronus landed in the center of the marquee. Everybody jumped back at its appearance. The patronus looked around the room at all of us before a voice issued from it.

"_The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead_," the voice said which I now recognized to be Kingsley's. "_They are coming. THEY ARE COMING_!"


End file.
